Tube shield device



ZWEQZE S. M. DEL CAMP TUBE SHIELD DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 151950 .x a a \NVENTOR SuPmNE M. DEL CAMP, BY JAIL RTTORNEY I Dec. 11,1956 Filed Sept. 15 1950 Fae. 4

s. M. DEL CAMP 2,773,928

TUBE SHIELD DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I \NVENTOR Sumoua M. DEL CAMP,

PW TORNEY United States Patent TUBE SHIELD DEVICE Scipione M. Del Camp,Maywood, 11!.

Application September 15, 1950, Serial No. 184,921

2 Claims. (Cl. 174-35) This invention relates to a tube holding devicefor a tube assembly.

It is common practice in radio and television to shield an electronictube by means of a tubular can which encloses the tube and is groundedto the set chassis. When the installation is subjected to vibration orother motion as in automobiles and aircraft the tube may move withrelation to the socket which in the case of high frequency tubes tendsto change the frequency.

The object of my invention is the provision of a nonrattle assemblybetween the tube and shield member which includes a spring memberdisposed within a tubular shield in attached assembly therewith andproviding spring elements for embracing and holding snugly the tube soas to limit movement thereof relative to the shield.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent to thoseskilled in the art from a consideration of the accompanying drawing andannexed specification illustrating and describing a preferred embodimentof the invention.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the tube and shieldmounting with the spring member, tube and socket member shown in full;

Fig. 2 is a section taken along the line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a section taken along the line 3-4; of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a section taken on the same line as Fig. 3 and showing theshield member and spring member prior to assembly with the tube;

Fig. 5 is a front elevation of the spring member per se, and

Fig. 6 is a top view of the spring member shown in Fig. 5.

Referring to the drawings, the shielded tube assembly comprises a socketmember 1 secured to a metal supporting plate 2 by means of a metalmounting member 3 which provides ears 3a riveted to the upper surface ofthe plate 2. The tube socket may be of any suitable constructioncommonly used for the reception and mounting of pronged tubes andembodies a body portion 4 of suitable insulating material provided witha series of prong-receiving openings (not shown) in which are fittedmetal contacts having integral wiring terminals 5 extending from thesocket. The socket 1 is designed to support and make electrical contactwith a suitable tube 6 which provides prong terminals (not shown) forengagement with the metal contacts of the socket member as is usual inthe art. The shield member 7, often referred to in the art as a shieldcan, is preferably formed of metal and comprises a tubular body portion8 of a diameter and length to enclose and shield the tube 6 and has aninwardly extending flange 9 at its upper end (Fig. l) defining a centralopening 19. The shield member 7 may have any suitable means forattachment and grounding to plate 2 but in the form in which I havechosen to illustrate the invention, the shield member provides a flange11 which on rotation of the shield member rela- Patented Dec. 11, 1956tive to the socket mounting member 3 snugly receives the laterallyextending attaching elements 12 (Fig. 1) provided by the socket mountingmember 3. The preferred method which I have chosen to illustrateattachment of the shield member in electrical contact with thesupporting plate 2 forms no part of my present invention and is thesubject of my co-pending application, Serial No. 164,543.

As a means for carrying out the purpose of my invention which is toeffect a non-rattle relationship between the tube and shield member, Ihave provided a spring member 13 which is disposed within the bore ofthe shield member and provides spring elements in embracing engagementwith the tube when the parts of the tube mounting are in assembly.Referring specifically to the construction of the spring member 13, itis preferably made from a single piece of spring sheet metal rolled intoa sleeve-like part having a slot 14 extending axially the entire lengthof the part. Opposed slots 15 (Fig. 5) disposed in substantiallyperpendicular relation to the slot 14 intersect the slot 14 and extendtherefrom circumferentially into the body of the sleeve member. Theslots 15 divide the sleeve member into two substantially ring-shapedportions 16 and 17 which are integrally joined at the back or base 17aof the sleeve. The upper ring-shaped portion 16 is normally of greaterdiameter than the lower ring-shaped portion 17 and provides resilientattaching elements 18-18 at its ends adjacent the slot 14. The diameterof the ring-shaped portion 16 is normally greater than the interiordiameter of the shield member with the result that the attachingelements 18-l8 will be contracted when the spring member is disposedwithin the shield member to engage the inner wall of the shield memberand hold the spring member in assembly therewith. The lower ring-shapedportion 17 is of a diameter which is normally less than the diameter ofthe tube member 6 and provides spring attaching elements 1919 at its endadjacent the slot 14 which embrace and hold the tube member when theparts of the mounting are in assembly. The ring-shaped portion 17 ispreferably of non-circular configuration (Figs. 4 and 6) so that when itis assembled within the bore of the shield member it will engage theinner wall thereof at circumferentially spaced points.

In assembling the spring member 13 with the shield member, the end ofthe spring member providing the ring-shaped portion 16 is inserted intothe open end 20 of the shield member and, thereafter, the spring memberis moved axially of the bore of the shield member until the edges 21 ofthe ring-shaped portion 16 engage the flange 9 of the shield member.'During this action in which the spring member is inserted into the boreof the shield member, the attaching elements 18-18 will be contractedand when the spring member is in final position, the tendency of theattaching elements 18-18 to return to normal position causes a springtension to be exerted on the interior wall of the shield member, as mostclearly shown in Fig. 2, so as to hold the spring member in frictionalassembly with the shield member. The ring-shaped portion 17 in mypreferred form has a normal diameter slightly greater than the interiordiameter of the shield member '7 with the result that it will engage theinterior wall of the shield member at two or more circumferentiallyspaced points 21 (Fig. 4) and the edges 2222 of the attaching elements19-19 will be contracted slightly toward each other.

In assembling the shield assembly with the tube 6, the tapered end 23 ofthe tube member will enter the open end of the spring member and as theshield member is moved into engagement with the plate 2 the normaldiameter of the tube member will engage the attaching elements 1919 soas to expand them into engagement 'ice with the interior wall of theshield member as most clearly shown in Fig. 2. At the same time otherportions of the ring-shaped portion 17 may be expanded to assume a moreconcentric shape with relation to the tubular bore of the shield memberas shown in Fig. 3. Thus, the ring-shaped portion 17 operates to embracefrictionally the tube member, but its frictional engagement with thetube and shield wall is not so great that it will limit relativerotation with respect to either the tube or shield when the shield isrotated into fastened attachment with the socket mounting member 3. As aresult, the assembly effects a stiff cushion between the tube member andthe shield member which serves to take up any opportunity for playbetween the parts. Thus, movement of the tube relative to the shieldmember caused by vibration or jar is absorbed by the spring member and arelatively non-movable assembly is provided.

Although I have illustrated and described a preferred embodiment of myinvention, I do not wish to be limited thereby as the scope of myinvention is best defined by the following claims.

I claim:

1. A shield assembly for a vacuum tube including a tubular shield memberhaving an opening at one end for receiving said tube, and a tubeembracing spring disposed in said shield member, said spring being inthe form of a sleeve having an axial slot for its entire length,

said sleeve having opposed lateral slots intersecting said axial slotand extending therefrom into the body of said sleeve to form upper andlower ring-like portions joined on a side of said shield opposite saidaxial slot said upper ring-like portion being in frictional engagementwith the inner wall of said shield member to hold said spring inassembly therewith, and said lower ring-like portion having atube-receiving opening in alinement with the bore of said shield member.

2. The assembly of claim 1 in which said lower ringlike portion is ofnon-circular configuration and in engagement with the inner wall of saidshield member at circumferentially spaced points.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 90,055Shoemaker et a1. May 11, 1864 833,042 Gilbert Oct. 9, 1906 2,062,256 DelCam-p Nov. 24, 1936 2,182,607 Alden Dec. 5, 1939 2,358,491 Del CampSept. 19, 1944 2,398,626 Del Camp Apr. 16, 1946 2,575,601 Staver Nov.20, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS 350,471 Great Britain June 4, 1930

